Question: Which social groups feel most comfortable being close to each other?
Background Information:
1) According the the website, http://www.cs.unm.edu/~sheppard/proxemics.htm Proxemics is a term that has to do with the study of how humans use their "personal space." There are two different types of Proxemics- personal territory, and physical territory. Personal territory is what you consider your "personal space." Physical territory is the study of why things are placed where they are, and the effects that has on the people around them.
Many different aspects affect proxemics. A few of them are colors, gender, race, and age. There are many other aspects that affect both physical territory and personal territory, such as the number of people in a room, body warmth, facial expression, and the way a person smells. To read more on Proxemics, visit this website: http://www.cs.unm.edu/~sheppard/proxemics.htm
2) Experts say, that proxemics not only exists in people, but in animals as well. German zoologist, Heini Hediger, says that there are different flight formations according to how comfortable the birds feel being close together. There are different types of "zones." First, is the "public zone." This ranges from 12 to 25 feet or more. The next zone is the "social zone." The area in this zone ranges from 4-12 feet. After that are the personal and intimate zones which range from 1.5-4 feet in the personal, and 6 inches to 1.5 feet in the intimate zones. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxemics
3) According to experts, there are three ways in which humans communicate. We communicate verbally, in written form, and through body language. Body language includes the way we stand, eye contact, facial expressions, listening skills, and the use of space. Skillfull communicators can "read" the messages others send through their use of space. The way we use space is called Proxemics. Proxemics is very important in not only the business world, but also the personal world, since if you don't know somebody's "comfort zone" you may insult or scare them. http://www.bremercommunications.com/Proxemics_How_We_Use_Space.htm
Hypothesis:
If I put two people from different social groups in a close situation, then they will be comfortable up until they are about 1 and a half feet away from each other.
Procedure:
1. First, you need to set up a 12 foot line of masking tape on the floor. Once it is secured, measure out one foot segments and mark the end of each foot with a permanent maker.
Once you have your test area set up, you need to gather your test subject. Select 5 people from 5 different social groups. (i.e., skater, prep, rocker, gangster, nerd)
After you have selected your 4 test subjects, you need to start performing your experiment. Have 2 different people stand on opposite ends of your tape.
Have each person take one step forward, to the next black line. Ask if they are uncomfortable. Continue this process until one of the two says they are not.
Repeat the experiment with a combination of each people and record your data. In the end, you should have run the experiment 15 times.
Put together your data in a spreadsheet, and make your own conclusion!
Materials:
12 feet of masking tape
Long hallway
Ruler
Black permanent marker
5 test subjects
Chart to record your data
Experiment: Data/Results:
Test Subjects
Results (Feet apart until they were uncomfortable)
Gangster and Prep
12
Gangster and Rocker
6
Gangster and Skater
9
Gangster and Nerd
12
Gangster and Gangster
2
Prep and Rocker
11
Prep and Skater
8
Prep and Nerd
7
Prep and Prep
1
Rocker and Skater
3
Rocker and Nerd
9
Rocker and Rocker
3
Skater and Nerd
6
Skater and Skater
1
Nerd and Nerd
3
Conclusion:
From performing my experiment, I learned that people feel most comfortable being close to people like themselves. As you can see, the skaters felt most comfortable around the skaters, and the same thing happened with each other social group. The most uncomfortable pairs were the gangster and the prep combination, and the gangster and the nerd combination. These two groups immediately felt uncomfortable when facing each other. People seemed to be most inclined to be close to the nerds. I was very incorrect in my hypothesis. I was incorrect because, according to Proxemics, your outer appearance really does affect how close somebody will want to be to you despite how great of a person you might be. If I were to do this experiment again, I would have run it many many more times, and gotten a more accurate conclusion.
Scientific Method Template
Topic: Comfort Zones
Question: Which social groups feel most comfortable being close to each other?
Background Information:
1) According the the website, http://www.cs.unm.edu/~sheppard/proxemics.htm Proxemics is a term that has to do with the study of how humans use their "personal space." There are two different types of Proxemics- personal territory, and physical territory. Personal territory is what you consider your "personal space." Physical territory is the study of why things are placed where they are, and the effects that has on the people around them.
Many different aspects affect proxemics. A few of them are colors, gender, race, and age. There are many other aspects that affect both physical territory and personal territory, such as the number of people in a room, body warmth, facial expression, and the way a person smells. To read more on Proxemics, visit this website:
http://www.cs.unm.edu/~sheppard/proxemics.htm
2) Experts say, that proxemics not only exists in people, but in animals as well. German zoologist, Heini Hediger, says that there are different flight formations according to how comfortable the birds feel being close together. There are different types of "zones." First, is the "public zone." This ranges from 12 to 25 feet or more. The next zone is the "social zone." The area in this zone ranges from 4-12 feet. After that are the personal and intimate zones which range from 1.5-4 feet in the personal, and 6 inches to 1.5 feet in the intimate zones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxemics
3) According to experts, there are three ways in which humans communicate. We communicate verbally, in written form, and through body language. Body language includes the way we stand, eye contact, facial expressions, listening skills, and the use of space. Skillfull communicators can "read" the messages others send through their use of space. The way we use space is called Proxemics. Proxemics is very important in not only the business world, but also the personal world, since if you don't know somebody's "comfort zone" you may insult or scare them.
http://www.bremercommunications.com/Proxemics_How_We_Use_Space.htm
Hypothesis:
If I put two people from different social groups in a close situation, then they will be comfortable up until they are about 1 and a half feet away from each other.
Procedure:
Materials:
Experiment:
Data/Results:
From performing my experiment, I learned that people feel most comfortable being close to people like themselves. As you can see, the skaters felt most comfortable around the skaters, and the same thing happened with each other social group. The most uncomfortable pairs were the gangster and the prep combination, and the gangster and the nerd combination. These two groups immediately felt uncomfortable when facing each other. People seemed to be most inclined to be close to the nerds. I was very incorrect in my hypothesis. I was incorrect because, according to Proxemics, your outer appearance really does affect how close somebody will want to be to you despite how great of a person you might be. If I were to do this experiment again, I would have run it many many more times, and gotten a more accurate conclusion.